FoodNet

Household cookery and laundry work

1882

Page 57

Presented as published in 1882. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
and wring them tightly. Put in some more, and repeat till all are finished, taking care only to put three or four collars in at a time, and always stir the starch up from the bottom of the basin, as it has a tendency to sink. When all are finished, fold them, and take a few at a time, and dry rub them, which rubs out any roughness the unboiled starch leaves. Now fold, and wring very hard within the folds of a towel, or put them through a mangle or wringer. Clap them well, and put aside to iron. If to be kept any time, they must be rolled up in a damp towel ; but are best ironed at once. This starch is most suitable for collars, cuffs, etc., but does very well for muslin or cotton if diluted with cold water. HOW TO IRON COLLARS AND CUFFS STARCHED WITH COLD STARCH. Have a table with a thick flannel and a clean cotton or linen cloth tightly stretched upon it, and a clean iron, not too hot. Place the collar evenly on the table, and run the iron lightly along the wrong side first; turn it, and do the same on the right side. Repeat this once or twice rather quickly until the collar begins to feel a little dry. Then press heavily and evenly on the right side, taking care to pull out button-holes, and iron them straight. A fine polish is put on the collar by using the edge of the iron, and rubbing with it from the top of the collar to the band, leaning heavily on the iron all the time. See that the band is nicely polished as well as the collar. Curl it round, and set aside to harden. Cuffs are ironed in the same way, only if they ai'e re- versible, with a band in the middle, the band is ironed thoroughly and finished first before the cuff is touched. washing and ironing. 135 HOW TO MAKE BOILED STARCH FOR SHIRTS, ETC. This is much the best and nicest starch for shirts muslins, and all fine fabrics. Ingredients required : — Starch, composite candle, sper- maceti, turpentine, boiling water. Warm a basin well with boiling water, and pour it out again. Put into the basin 4- table-spoonfuls of starch, and rub it down to rather a thick paste with warm water ; add an inch of a small-sized composite candle, a bit of sperma- ceti, size of a small bean, and 4 drops of turpentine. Pour boiling water into the basin slowly, stirring very vigorously till the starch is cooked sufficiently, which is known by its becoming transparent. It ought to be a good thickness, not in the least watery. This is the proper thickness of starch to use for shirr, s, collars, etc. Have your linen rather damp. Dip in the breasts and collars of shirts first, and squeeze them tightly out. The wrists next. Repeat till all are finished, taking care to use the starch at once, and very hot, as it quickly becomes thick, and is not so easily used. Then give the starched parts a slight rub, clap them, and hang them up to dry thoroughly. When quite dry sprinkle over with clean cold water, to damp them thoroughly. Place the two sides of the breast together, fold, and roll up tightly for at least i day, when they are ready for ironing. In warm weather, after damping, roll all up in a damp cloth and put away. 136 WASHING AND IRONING. TO IRON LINEN STARCHED WITH HOT STARCH. A nice hot iron is required, at the same time it must not scorch.